VUDU is a leading provider of digital technologies, took a major step forward in bringing the Web into the living room by launching the VUDU RIA (Rich Internet Application) platform, a standards-based platform that brings Web-hosted rich applications and services to consumer appliances such as the popular VUDU Internet movie player.

Available to all VUDU owners, these applications include casual games, implementations of Flickr, Picasa and the entire YouTube library, as well as a new “On Demand TV” area with more than 120 channels.

VUDU customers can access a broad selection of free on-demand shows provided by major network television and on-line specialty sites spanning news, food, music, sports, and more.

Programs include daily highlights from shows such as “Today,” “The Rachel Maddow Show,” “Anderson Cooper 360,” “Fantasy Focus NFL,” “MTV News,” as well as full programs, some in HD, from Nova, National Geographic, PBS and others. VUDU plans to add more applications and services throughout 2009.

VUDU RIA is targeted at today’s low power set-top boxes and Internet appliances and delivers a lightning fast user experience on a 300 MHz embedded processor with 128MB of RAM. VUDU RIA will be opened up to third party developers in the first half of 2009.

VUDU RIA allows developers to take advantage of the most advanced RIA techniques such as asynchronous Web queries, local scripting, and persistent client-side storage, along with unique TV-centered technologies such as VUDU’s acclaimed user interface, one-wheel remote control navigation, and VUDU’s TruFilm-powered video rendering for maximum visual quality.